ICDP visits Belarus to participate in conference on the “Abolition of the Death Penalty and Public Opinion” in Belarus

ICDP Commissioner Hanne Sophie Greve participated at a conference titled ”Abolition of the Death Penalty and Public Opinion” which was organized by the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus on 13 December 2016 in Minsk and related events.

The expert event brought together ICDP delegates (Commissioner Greve and Executive Director Asunta Vivo) with representatives of the Belarusian government and the National Assembly, Council of Europe Secretariat and the Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), UN, EU, Belarus Orthodox Church, international and Belarusian NGOs, media and academia.

The conference participants looked at certain aspects of the law enforcement practice in the context of the abolition of death penalty, discussed the role authorities, media and the civil society could play on this issue and analysed how the civil society could help the State to shape public opinion and deliver important messages.

On 21 June 2013, the Council of Europe organised a roundtable on ‘Belarus – Religion and Death Penalty’ in Minsk as part of the discussions to advance abolition of the death penalty with the authorities of the government of Belarus. The roundtable sought to further discussion on the death penalty through an exchange of views among clergy, representatives of national institutions, civil society and international experts. ICDP Commissioner Hanne Sophie Greve participated as an international expert and presented a paper entitled – The human being created ‘in the image of God’. For further information, please go to: http://www.icomdp.org/2013/06/round-table-religion-and-death-penalty-belarus/

About

ICDP is an independent body of politically influential people with international standing – supported by a diverse group of 18 governments from all world regions – working for a world free from the death penalty. It opposes the death penalty in all situations, and urges the immediate establishment of a universal moratorium on executions in all world regions with a view to total abolition.